Although anxiety is a common reaction to stress, social anxiety disorder, panic disorder, and generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) are all conditions that can cause chronic anxiety. Numerous people suffer from anxiety disorders daily, which may be devastating in many circumstances (Goodwin et al., 2020). A diagnosis of an anxiety condition might create an entirely new set of issues for older persons. When anxiety problems are added to the pressures of existing medical issues, they can significantly influence adults’ quality of life. In the United States, anxiety affects almost 40 million adults (Goodwin et al., 2020). Anxiety manifests itself differently in persons of varying ages, gender, and color. Situations involving stress, such as a difficult job interview, can cause anxiety. Anxiety disorder is characterized by more than nervousness or worry. Anxiety disorder symptoms might interfere with day-to-day activities such as school, job, and interpersonal relationships. Social workers and healthcare professionals should advocate for older persons, make resources available, and, most importantly, educate them about anxiety disorders and their treatment.
A mentally healthy person who can operate regularly is well-balanced and able to deal with the stresses and difficulties of daily life. However, a person with psychological instability is incapable of doing so. Anxiety is a mental disorder that negatively affects how people act, perceive, and behave (Hernández et al., 2021). A person’s mental state must be fully functional to be emotionally stable. A logically sound person displays appropriate levels of conduct and functioning. The causes of anxiety include stress, injury, lousy addiction, drug use, and sexual abuse in childhood (Hernández et al., 2021). Anxiety disorders can also be caused by aging-related changes such as deteriorating health, memory issues, and loss (Hernández et al., 2021). Many older adults dread falling, inability to afford living costs and medicines, being mistreated and relying on others, getting unattended, and dying, which can cause anxiety (Hernández et al., 2021).
GAD is one of the most prevalent mental disorders, yet there is no simple clinical test to evaluate it (Hunsaker et al., 2020). Everyone could experience anxiety at some point in life; for example, the nervousness one gets ahead of a first date, the stress employees encounter when their manager is angry, and heart palpitations in dangerous situations. Anxiety compels individuals to act; it is a propensity and a sensation of protracted and delayed tension, a sense of dread, and prolonged pressure (Hunsaker et al., 2020). Anxiety and fear are related emotions with significant distinctions. Anxiety is long-lasting, whereas fear relies on an obvious threat and has a brief duration (Hunsaker et al., 2020). Most adults have experienced anxiety in some form since the circumstances of routine daily life elicit it. For instance, students may have test-related anxiety, one may feel anxious about attending a scheduled meeting, and numerous folks are terrified of public speaking. This implies that anxiety is a common occurrence and a method of adjusting to life. Despite its adverse health effects, anxiety may sometimes be advantageous because it heightens a person’s awareness of potential pitfalls, promotes concentration, and prepares them to confront a precarious situation.
Per the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5), anxiety disorder is one of the most prevalent mental illnesses, although it receives little attention (Hasin et al., 2018). Anxiety disorder is characterized by unusual and protracted feelings of fear and suffering, usually accompanied by physical manifestations (Hasin et al., 2018). It starts at a young age and may follow a recurrent pattern in one’s life, creating severe incapacity regarding health, misfortune, job stability, and obstruction throughout a lifetime in areas such as salary, education, and interpersonal connections. A social worker can alleviate many anxiety-related concerns by connecting clients to resources that reduce and confront their fears and insecurities (Hasin et al., 2018). Access to effective, non-discriminatory treatments will demonstrate efficacy and facilitate people’s ability to function more effectively in society. The absence of improved treatment access will negatively influence the affected patients, their families, and their communities.
In complicated situations, medication may be required to treat GAD, but in most cases, counseling and physical exercise can reduce and reverse symptoms, mainly if they are diagnosed early. Since anxiety and depression coexist, it is essential to differentiate between them and administer the appropriate treatment (Hernández et al., 2021). To offer the necessary help and resources, social workers and therapists should take the initiative to acquire extra training that centers on anxiety in older adults and discuss the matter with the patient’s family and community members.
Social workers should be patient and do a comprehensive evaluation that reflects on all elements of the client’s well-being and environmental variables that may produce anxiety symptoms. Social workers and physicians should advocate for older individuals diagnosed with anxiety by completely immersing themselves and comprehending the onset’s complexity with patience and by developing treatment strategies that suit each patient (Goodwin et al., 2020). In addition, social workers should ensure that all adults with anxiety disorders have access to treatment choices and services to manage their symptoms (Goodwin et al., 2020). Therefore, it is vital for clinicians and social workers to collaborate to reduce the number of undertreated adults with anxiety.
Anxiety disorders affect many people daily and can be life-threatening in some situations. Due to anxiety disorder symptoms, there may be difficulties in daily activities such as school, work, and interpersonal relationships. All adults diagnosed with anxiety should be given information about anxiety disorders and available treatment options. Unusual and prolonged fear and suffering are hallmarks of anxiety disorder, frequently accompanied by physical manifestations. In some cases, medication may treat GAD, but counseling and exercise may alleviate and reverse symptoms, especially if they are detected early.
References
Goodwin, R. D., Weinberger, A. H., Kim, J. H., Wu, M., & Galea, S. (2020). Trends in anxiety among adults in the United States, 2008–2018: Rapid increases among young adults. Journal of Psychiatric Research, 130, 441-446.
Hasin, D. S., Sarvet, A. L., Meyers, J. L., Saha, T. D., Ruan, W. J., Stohl, M., & Grant, B. F. (2018). Epidemiology of adult DSM-5 major depressive disorder and its specifiers in the United States. JAMA Psychiatry, 75(4), 336-346.
Hernández, C., Gómez‐Urquiza, J. L., Pradas‐Hernández, L., Roman, K., Suleiman‐Martos, N., Albendín‐García, L., & Cañadas‐De la Fuente, G. A. (2021). Effectiveness of nursing interventions for preoperative anxiety in adults: A systematic review with meta‐analysis. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 77(8), 3274-3285.
Hunsaker, A., Hargittai, E., & Piper, A. M. (2020). Online social connectedness and anxiety among older adults. International Journal of Communication, 14, 697-725.